Temple



E. L. SCHUMACHER ET AL TEMPLE Filed Marchy s1, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTORS,y

` m L. PoE-TUN.

Patented Nov. 2, 1926.y

UNITED STATES PATENT oFEILCE.

ELMER L.- SCHUMACHER AND LAWRENCE POETON, F SOUTHBBIDGE, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, 0F SOUTHBBIDGE, MASSA-y CHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TEMPLE.

Application led March 31, 1923. Serial No. 628,963.

l0 A further object is to provide such a temple with an inflexible straight portion, for

pivotal connection to the lens frame, anda liexible ear loop secued thereto.

A further object is to provide a temple ofl l5 composition material with a metallic -core v extending throughout vits entire length. A further object is to provide a composition temple with a iexibleear loop of spiral ly wound material, the adjacent turns of the 20 winding intermeshing with one another.

Alstlll further object is to produce a composition temple with a flexible ear loop which `will retain its shape, 'be strong and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art. l r l Other objects and advantages will be apparent om the following description taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification. In the drawingsembodying the lnvention. y

Figure II is an elevation of the wire forming the primary core used in the manufacture.

1 Figure III is an elevation showing the sec-` ondary core and hinge member securedto the wlre, arts being 1n section.

Figure V is a longitudinal sectional vie showingthe zylonite on the inflexible portion. a l

.Figures V and VI are component parts of lthev spirally wound material covering the ear igure VII is a detail view of the temple partly assembled, parts being broken away andparts in sectlon.

-Figure VIII is a side elevation of the finished tern le. r .h 5o Figure I is a detail sectional view of the 1 tip used on the end of the ear loop.

Figure l is a perspective view of a templev Figure X-1 is an elevation of a modified form of ear loop cover.

Figures XI- and XII are sectional views of Inodied forms of spiral winding.

Figure XIII is a similar view wherein two strips of material are spirally wound together. I

i I. i' v u l a Figure XIV'isayiew similarfto Figure VX of another .modified form.

The desirability of zylonite temples lies in the fact that, because of their light weight,

they can be .made `Usuiiiciently thick to avoid cutting .the skin. behind the ear. Furthermore, the nature of its surface is such as tobe extremely comfortable 'to the wearer, and 1t is not affected by perspiration, as is metal. The objection to zylonite temples heretofore 'made is due to the vfact that zylonite has the peculiar property of returning to its initial set, and therefore the Zyl temples with bent ear loops fail .to retain their shape. -Wifth our invention we provide a temple having all the desirable ualities 'of zylonitefwithout the objectiona le features thereof.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the 'several views. The numeral 20 designates our improved temple having the flexible ear loop 21. The temple is hingedly connected as at 22 to a composition lens'rim 23 of a spectacle of any desired form. It will be well to state at this point that in using the word composition we mean a material simulating the appearance of tortoise shell, but we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to zylonite, as other composition maprojecting a short distance beyond the end of the cable. Thus we produce a metal core having a substantially stiif'portion, formed by the body`24 the tapered portion 24 and shank 26, and a flexible portion formed by the reduced end 25 and cable 28 which is wound on the reduced end 25 and the ta pered portion 24', whichl tapered portion produces a section of gradually reducing stiffness for the cable portion, so that the iiexing strain does not come all at one point where the cable leaves the body portion 24. llt' desired the hinge shank 26 may be provided with barbs 29, and the eye 27 may be offset as at 30 in Figure lV.

flhe metal core is then partially encased in zylonite 31 or other composition material, this being done by molding or by inlaying it in two suitably grooved halves and cementing the two halves together. lt will be noticed that the stiil portion 24 extends partly beyond the Zylonite casing. rl'his casing 31 may be made, as shown, tapering i'rom an approximately rectangular cross section with rounded. corners at the hinge end, to a circular cross section at the other end.

We then form a iexible tubing 32 by closely winding a thin strip of Zylonite on a mandrel. rlhis zylonite vis preferably ot rectangular cross section, as shown at 33, and the winding is of a suitable internal diameter to fit on the core 28. A second flexible. tube 34 is made of thin zylonite, preferably of a parallelogram in cross section, as at. 35, and is wound in the opposite direction from the tube 32 and of a size to bslide snugly over it. Because the edges of the Zylonite strip are bevelled and parallel to one another the contacting edges of adjacent turns willpbe co-mating. The tube 32 is then pushed into tube 34 andl the two cemented together; after their ends are squared they are'assembled over the core 28, as shown in Figure VII, and cemented at 36 to the casing 31.

The extreme end of the wire 25v is proi vided with screw. threads 37 for holding a zylonite tip 38, the inner end of the tip being cemented to the adjoining end of the flexible zylonite tubing as at 39. The ilexible end is then bent into the loop 21, and lafter polishing is ready for use. The two windings 32 and 34 give the proper amount of resiliency, and due to the fact that they `are both wound in opposite directions the tendency to spring out of shape willbe greatl lessened., -It will also be noticed that t e adjoining turns of material in the member 34 will intermesh with one another, and when bent will not open up or tend to pull 1the 'hair of the person wearing the tem e.

In plac of the zylonite winding 32'we Troy.

Since'the body 24 of the core ex ten s partly into the spirally wound zylonmay use a closely wound coil 40 ot wire, shown in Figure X. This Wire may be ot aluminum or other light weight metal and will be wound in the opposite direction from the zylonite coil 34.

In Figure XI we have shown a modification of the outer zylonite coil 34. In this adjacent turns without possibility of the joints opening up. A

Figure XH shows another form, wherein the flexible cover 34b is composed of spirally wound zylonite of cross-sectional configuration 43, commonly known as the wall of In this construction the successive turns of material are interlocked, forming a specially strong covering, with the proper flexibility and resiliency.

Anotherlmodification of flexible zylonite covering is shown in Figure XIII, wherein two strips of material 44 and 45 are wound together, both strips having a cross sectional conliguration of an equilateral trapezoid. The two strips are assembled together with their bases oppositely disposed, as clearly shown in the drawing. The structures il lust-rated in Figures XI, XII and XIIl may be used directly over the metallic core 28, or they may be used with either of the intermediate windinfgs 3 2, 40 or 46.

The winding 46, shown in Figure XIV, may be used intermediate the core 28 and the outer cover 34. ln this modification the material is aluminum or other light weight metal, substantially thin, and widegin proportion, the edges being rounded as at 47. In this winding a slight space is left between the dii'erent turns, thus making an especially iiexible v member with straight sides.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will beevident that we have produced a composition temple for eyeglasses whichwill not cut or abrade the skin behind the ear of the wearer, the ear loop being of such a construction as to combine mechanical strength, resiliency, and the property of maintaining the shape into which it is bent. We do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, but reserve the right to make changes falling within the scope of the appended claims without departing spirit of the invention.

from the us described our invention, what Havingt we cla-im is:

- 1. In combination with a spectacle, a

.stili3 composition casing on the major part 4of the straight side portion, a flexible casing secured to said stili casing and covering the ear loop, said flexible casing comprising oppositely wound helixes, the outer helix being formed of material having comating edges, and' means for securing the outer end of the exible casing to the extremity` of the metal core.

3. A spectacle temple comprising a metal core extending substantially throughout the entire length of the temple, a composition covering on said metal core, a portion of said covering being rigid, and the remaining portion being resilient, said resilient portion comprising an outer helically wound strip of composition material having comating edges, and an intermediate helix oppositely wound, and means for securing the) outer ends of the helixes to the extremity of metal core.

4. A spectacle temple comprising a metal core, said metal core havin an inflexible bodyportion and a flexible en a composition casing surrounding the core, that portion of the casing which surrounds the flexible end ofthe core being resiliently formed of inner and outer spirals wound 1n opposite directions, the material of the outer spiral having straight sides and .interlocking edges, and means for securing the end of the` resilient casing to the extremity of the core.

5. In a spectacle temple having a straight side portion and an, ear loop, a metal core comprising an inflexible body portion and a flexible cable secured to the end thereof, a composition casing surrounding the inner end of the body portion, a composition cable secured to said casing and surrounding the flexible end of the body portion, said composition cable being formed of an inner helical Winding substantially rectangular in cross section and an outer helical winding in the opposite direction, the adjoining edges overlapping, and a cylindrical .composition tip f Secured to the extremity of the metal core to hold the composition cable thereon.

v 6. In a spectacle temple having a straight side portion and an ear loopa metal core comprising 21u-.inflexible body portion and a ilexible cable rearwardly extending therefrom, a composition casing surrounding the forward end of the body portion, and a coml position cable secured to said casing and covering the rearward end of the body portion and the/flexible cable,

said composition cable bein formed of a plurality of o positely woun helixes, the material of t e outer winding having comating edges.

7. In a device of the character described,

a non-spiral stili' non-metallic side ortion, a stifmetal ortion beyond the end) of the non-spiral still non-metallic portion, a flexible metallic spirally coiled ort-ion beyond the stiff metal portion, and a exible spirally coiled non-metallic portion over the stiff me tallic portion and over the flexible s irally coiled metallic portion forming a exible cable ear loop beyond the stiff metallic portion and a stiff support for the non-metallic spiral cable portion at its junction with the non-spiral still non-metallic portion.

8. In a spectacle temple of described, a flexible ear loo plurality of non-metallic ca opposite directions.

9. In a spectacle temple of the character described, a flexible ear loop comprising a metal cable and a plurality of non-metallic comprising a les wound in `cables wound thereon, the helixes of which are wound in opposite directions.

l0. A temple including a metallic core, a.

non-metallic part.

12. An ear loop for a temple comprising an inner metallic cable and a plurality of non-metallic cables covering same, the edges of the outer cable being suitably formed to provide co-mating edges which work one on the other when the loop is iiexed.

the character i lli) 13. A spectacle temple comprising a mei* tallic core 'having a straight stiff portion and a Hexible cable portion beyond the stii portion, a non-metallic covering over the metallic corel vhaving an uncut stiff portion over the stiff portion of the core, and a flexible spirally cut cable over the cable portion of the core the stiff portion of the core extending a short distance beyond the stiH portion of the cover to form a support for the flexible portion of the cover at the point Where it leaves the still:l portion of the cover.v

14. An ear loop for a temple of the character described comprising an inner metallic cable and an outer non-metallic cable coverin the same, the ed es of the outer cable being suitablylforme to provide single angled, unbroken straight lline surface co-mat'- ing edges which Work one on the other When the loop is flexed.

15. In a spectacle temple of the character described, a flexible ear loop comprising a plurality of non-metallic cables Wound one on the other and the edges ot the coils of said cables being arranged in overlappingv position.

16. In construction for temple bars and the like, in combination, a main body member -of non-metallic material, a metallic core member extending rearwardly therefrom, and a covering for said core member comprising a plurality of non-metallic strips Wound in interacting relation thereabout.

17. In construction for temple bars and the like, in combination, a main body member of non-metallic material, a metallic core member extending rearwardly therefrom said core having a flexible portion curved to form an ear piece'and a relatively rigid portion adjacent said body member, a non-metallic covering about said core comprising a plurality of strips conjointly wound, ,and a non-metallic member adjacent the ehd of said core holding said covering in place.

18. A spectacle temple comprising a metallic core having a body portion, a reduced portion and a tapered portion between the two portions, a cable on the reduced and'tapered portions, a non-metallic covering over the core, having a stiff portion over the body portion of the core and a flexible spirally Wound cable over the cable portion of the core.

19. A spectacle temple comprising a metallic core having a straight stiff portion, and a flexible cable portion beyond the stift portion, and a non-metallic covering over the metallic core having an uncut still portion over the stiff portion of the core and a iexible Spirally cut cable portion. over the cable portion of the core, the joint of the stilll and cable portions of the metallic core being otfset With respect to the joint of the stiff and cable portions of the non-metallic covering.

20. In a 'device of the character described, a still non-metallic side portion, a metallic core portion extending beyond the stiff nonmetallic portion having a spirally Wound fiexible portion removed Jfrom the stiff nonmetallic side portion and a stiller portion adjoining its connection to the stili non-me tallic side portion, and a spirally Wound non-metallic covering over the metallic core portion beyond the 'stili' non-metallic side portion.

ELMER L; SCHUMACHER. LAWRENCE POETON. 

